


The Christmas Card Photo

by screengeekdiaries



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 12 Days of Destiel, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, No Smut, Team Free Will
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 13:01:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2812928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/screengeekdiaries/pseuds/screengeekdiaries
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas time at the Bunker, and Castiel has a few questions about some cards the boys have received.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Christmas Card Photo

_Merry Christmas, Love Bobby and Ellen..._

_Happy Holidays from the Trans..._

_Merry Xmas Bitches! Love Charlie and Dorothy..._

Cas flipped through the new pile of Christmas cards that had arrived in the post. They didn't often get mail in the Bunker (in no short part because the water, electric and gas companies didn't know the place existed) but around this time of year there was always a small flurry left waiting on their doorstep. He smiled as he read the happy greetings, love pouring from the small, carefully handwritten messages left inside each small seasonal folded piece of card. It was a small tradition Cas enjoyed, the act of writing and giving Christmas cards, one that he was glad had survived the computerised world in which he now lived. 

Although when he flipped them closed, he noticed there was one small difference between the ones in his hand and the ones they were preparing to write.

“I have a question.”

Dean sighed. He’d been on the receiving end of many of Cas’ questions since the holidays began – _How do people think one man can carry that many presents? What is the significance behind mistletoe? Why do people stuff things into turkeys?_ – and had usually managed to direct them to Sam and his Laptop of Wonders. But his look of befuddlement scrunching up his face was so endearing that Dean didn't have the heart to turn him away. He put down his pen and hoped he wasn't gonna regret this later

“Shoot.”

“Why are our cards different to the ones we've received?”

“Because ours came from the dollar bin at the gas station?”

“No, I mean...” Cas shook his head. Deciding showing was going to explain better than telling, he sat beside Dean and spread the cards across the table. 

“These ones have pictures of the people who sent them on the front” He tapped on the card closest to Dean’s elbow - Bobby and Ellen sat on a sofa, both resplendent in what appeared to be bright red knitted jumpers. Ellen’s smile was as bright as Bobby’s scowl, and Dean had to laugh at how on earth she’d managed to wrangle him into it. 

“But ours don’t. Why?” 

“Yeah, why don’t we have our pictures on the cards, Dean?”

Dean jumped at the new voice entering the conversation. Turning, he spotted Sam leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and the smuggest smile working its way across his face. He threw his best ‘you are not helping’ face towards his little brother, before turning back to attempt to answer Cas’ question.

“Because Cas, it’s mainly a tradition amongst couples to send these types of holiday cards. And between the three of us, there are no... couples here in the Bunker” He could feel the goddamn blush spreading across his cheeks even as he said it, and Sam’s disguised “DeanCas” coughing wasn't really helping matters. 

“But Kevin and his mother sent one too, and they’re hardly a couple.” Cas squinted, lightning blue eyes scouring Dean’s face like it held the secrets to the universe. The intensity made Dean look away, choosing instead to focus on Kevin and Linda’s happy, smiling faces. It wasn't like he was obverse to the idea of doing a personalised Christmas card, but in his mind the whole business was kind of intimate - like announcing to the world (or at least your immediate family) that these are the person or persons that you’re willing to send the rest of your life with. Sam he could get away with because the annoying moose man was his brother, but Cas? He didn't know if he was ready to admit that particular secret to the angel, let alone anyone else, just yet.

“So families also send out these Christmas cards, correct?”

“Correct.” Dean knew where this was heading.

“So, can we do one? Please?” Cas implored, scooting closer, eyes wide with hope and childlike excitement.

“Yeah Dean, can we do one?” Dean looked up in shock as Sam joined in the pleading, sitting on his other side and turning the puppy eyes up to eleven. Even though Dean was sure he was joking, Sam actually looked like he wanted in on this bloody Christmas card deal. Looking between the two of them, he knew there was no way he was gonna be able to get out of it without some serious heartbreak.

“Son of a bitch, fine. But no dorky matching jumpers!”

*~*~*

Dean spent the afternoon waiting for the perfect photo opportunity. Despite his initial reluctance, he was actually kind of looking forward to taking this picture. And not just because his agreement made Cas smile so bright his eyes shone. There wasn't much opportunity for holiday snaps in the hunting business – _Happy Xmas from Sam, Dean and this decapitated wendigo?_ He didn't think so – and he could do with an updated one of the three of them. 

The only problem was that Cas had seen the studio set, family-dressed-up-like-a-Christmas-tree type of pictures - so every time he and Sam tried setting up the camera, Cas put on a cheesy smile and posed. Dean nearly wet himself laughing, much to Cas’s dismay, and Dean had to stop himself from kissing the adorable pout right off the angels face. 

So they opted to hold fire on the pictures in favour of decorating the Bunker; Sam was using his Sasquatch abilities to hang mistletoe from the ceiling, Dean busied himself with the popcorn and berry strings (although his sweet tooth was making it more berries than popcorn) whilst Cas attempted to detangle the string of fairy lights. Despite trying not to skewer himself in the thumb, Dean couldn't help but watch the pure concentration radiating from Cas’ face - this eons old angel, warrior of God, with tongue poking out, focused solely on trying to twist the wires right to free each bulb... And in doing so, succeeded in getting wrapped up in the lights himself.

Realising what a mess he’d got himself into, Cas turned to the gaping hunter. “Errr, Dean? I may need your assistance.”

As Cas stood there, the twinkling shine of rainbow hues bouncing off his tanned skin, Dean seized his opportunity. Camera in hand, he bounded across the living room, a brief shout of “Sammy!” calling his brother to follow suit. In seconds they were pressed either side of the angel, camera aloft, grinning like idiots at the absurdity and perfect timing of the situation. Cas, mildly confused as to what was happening, cocked his head just as the flash went off. Again. And again.

“Yes! That’s it, that’s the one!” Dean crowed in celebration as they flicked through the pictures, settling on the goofiest of the three. Cas, smushed against Dean’s side, looked less impressed with their selection. 

“I look like an idiot, can we take it again?”

“Nope, you look like your adorable dorky self – it’s perfect” Dean smiled down at him. He didn't know if it was the adrenaline or the sheer Christmas spirit doing the talking, but right now he didn't care. Right now he was more interested in the way the lights shone off Cas’ eyes, the way they weaved around his arms, fell across his chest...

And missed the quirking smile Cas got when a delicious plan formed in his head.

“Well, now you do too!”

Dean spluttered as glitter and tinsel rained over his head. Wiping grains from his eyes, he saw shimmers of gold, red and green adorning his shoulders, felt silver tendrils tangled in his hair, the now half full box of tree decorations lying at the angels’ feet. And Castiel doubled over, his peeling laughter ringing through the living room, like music to Dean’s ears.

“It. Is. On!”

With a war cry, Dean leapt at the bedazzled angel. Both of them danced around the living room, dodging each other, throwing tides of tinsel, baubles and the occasional glittery pinecone at each other’s heads in festive merriment, camera lying forgotten in their wake. Grunts and growling laughter filtered through the Bunker like their favourite Christmas song. Dean, self-crowned champion of chase-fights, was surprised by Cas’ dexterity to navigate the hills and pitfalls the room had to offer; that is, till Cas tripped on one of his wires during a particularly daring escape. Caught by Dean before his feathery backside hit the floor, they stood in the middle of the Christmas carnage, panting heavily, bright red with excursion and covered in glitter, shining like all the colours of the rainbow. Dean, caught up in their sudden closeness, forgot to let go, hands lingering on Cas’s arms as he fought to catch his breath. 

He hadn’t had that much fun in years.

Cas, in turn, watched Dean with a shy smile. Dean’s face was a shining ball of light, his hair mussed and running with tinsel strands. Cas couldn’t help running his hands through the mess, down to his neck, giggles bubbling in their throats as he threw a loop of his lights round them. Breathing shallowed, he leant in, and whispered the one question he’d wanted to ask since the holidays began.

“I thought you said there were no couples in the Bunker?”

They both missed the camera flash as Dean captured Cas’s lips with his own. 

_Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Love DeanCas and Sam x_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Fea at 12daysofdestiel.tumblr.com for inspiring me to write this fic for Christmas! And to all the wonderful readers who have already liked and reblogged this fic on Tumblr!


End file.
